— Bergen, Norway · 60.39°N 5.32°E

New record

Down the Beach · 5 June 2026

The Dredge

Kjetil Vikene & Frode Røsjø — an alt-pop / post-rock duo with a jazzy streak. Groovy melancholia. Down the Beach out 05. June.

New single — “Animal” out now✦New single — “Nature” out now✦“Blink” — May 29✦Down the Beach · 5 June 2026✦

01 / The Band

Yes, but also…

More than a decade ago, a common friend handed me a rare copy of an EP from a completely unknown Norwegian band. The music — the strange and lyrically creative stories, combined with the band's shapeshifting conglomerates of inspiration — felt like Norway's best kept secret.

After a long hiatus, the project's protagonists returned in 2024 under the new moniker The Dredge with the full-length Torches — picking up where their previous iteration left off, with renewed vigour. One reviewer named the debut “groovy melancholia”. His mind “goes into overdrive as it starts searching for references” and he “can't remember hearing anything that sounds exactly like The Dredge.”

Now, after 30 years of collaborating, the duo is expanding the battleground again with their upcoming Down the Beach. What was an alt-pop / post-rock monster is now joined at the hip by a jazzy beast, with a herd of alternative rhythmic equus dragging the machinery — art conceived with complete creative freedom, while still being grooooovy.

— Morean · Composer, Performer, Fan · Schiedam, March 2026

— The Dredge is

Kjetil Vikene

Vocals · Guitars · Bass · Keys · &c.

Frode Røsjø

Drums · Vocals · &c.

02 / New singles out now

Animal · Nature.

Animal — 29 April · Nature — 14 May · From the forthcoming Down the Beach (5 June 2026) · Saxophone: Kjetil Møster · Produced by Iver Sandøy & The Dredge

Animal

29 April 2026 · Single #1

The first single from the forthcoming Down the Beach (5 June 2026). “Are you mouldy or are you grain?” the song asks — and answers that it's fine to be both. Animal opens as a straight rocker before moulding its way into uncharted territory: a midway injection of mallet-laden, jazz-inflected layers, a hint of aggressive strings at the close, and a soaring saxophone solo from Kjetil Møster. Co-produced by Iver Sandøy and the band — groovy rock with a sophisticated shine, often jazzy, sometimes even classical.

Music: Kjetil Vikene · Frode Røsjø · Kjetil Møster · Iver Sandøy · Lyrics: Kjetil Vikene · Produced by Iver Sandøy & The Dredge

Open on Bandcamp ↗Open on Spotify ↗

Nature

14 May 2026 · Single #2

The second single from Down the Beach (5 June 2026). An avalanche of inspirations rolled out in an effortless odd rhythm — lush soundscapes, Kjetil Møster's lyrical saxophone weaving through, a laid-back groove that refuses to hurry. Nature dives into life's conundrums with a humorous twist, building toward a reluctant choir-scream at the close that lands somewhere past goosebumps. Co-produced by Iver Sandøy and the band — a patient, jazz-touched companion to Animal, charting a different corner of the album's emotional weather.

Music: Kjetil Vikene · Frode Røsjø · Kjetil Møster · Iver Sandøy · Mats Andersen · Lyrics: Kjetil Vikene · Produced by Iver Sandøy & The Dredge

Open on Spotify ↗

03 / The Records

Torches

LP · 8 tracks · 30:46 · Apollon Records · 05.04.2024

Next: Down the Beach — 5 June 2026 · singles Animal + Nature out now

Follow on Spotify

Bandcamp Spotify

04 / Press

What they said.

5 / 6

“I can't remember hearing anything that sounds exactly like The Dredge; this is raw and groovy melancholy that makes me long for both desolate mountains and packed club shows all at once. More of this!”

— Petter Lønningen, Bergens Tidende

4.5 / 6

“Torches is undoubtedly an expertly written record that contains a multitude of interesting flavors, textures, and surprises. Very cool and most definitely worthwhile.”

— Jens Nepper, Eternal Terror

12 / 15

“The drama, intense moments and sophisticated songwriting are more than impressive. The guitars maltreat themselves from post-rock to fuzz and shoegaze — goosebump-inducing moments provide a pleasant tingling sensation.”

— Carsten Agathe, Betreutes Proggen (DE)

8 / 10

“The Dredge draw from a wealth of influences across these unpredictable and exciting 8 tracks — every moment here is precise, memorable and will be enjoyed on repeated visits.”

— Take Effect

3 / 3

“This fusion of styles throughout the album works perfectly. The Dredge's Torches is a solid album, well worth the effort.”

— Gabriel, Prog Critique (FR)

—

“Just the way I like it! I pity the journalists that will have to 'explain' this to potential audiences — I look forward to seeing them squirm and fail, comparing it to any other band.”

— Florian Magnus Mayer

05 / On the road